Southampton - Southampton students will see many improvements around their district come next week, as construction has been going on all Summer, and many upgrades will be ready when the doors to the schools open on Sept. 9.

The front steps of the elementary school are being redone, per construction plans.

"We will be ready for staff and students on time," offered Southampton Schools' Director of Facilities, Operations and School Safety Randall Dobler.

According to Dobler, the most work has been done at the Southampton Elementary School, located on the corner of Pine Street and Hampton Road. He noted that 10 classrooms have been added to the school, which received a new addition over the past year. Renovations to the interior have also been done, including new bathrooms, a new principal's office, a remodel of the staff lounge and changes to the front stairs.

With the additional room, Dobler added that the Southampton Pre-K, once located at the First Presbyterian Church on Main Street, will now be housed in the elementary school as well. Approximately 40 parking spaces have been added to the school grounds, and sanitary and drainage work has been done. However, landscaping work to be done on the outside of the property is still a work in progress.

"We are ready to go at this point," Dobler continued.

The middle school, located on Leland Lane, has also seen extensive renovations according to Dobler. The fifth and sixth grade wing, he said, received new walls, floors, ceilings and lighting, while the gymnasium received a new floor and new bleachers. The middle school's music room was also done over, new windows and roofing were put in around the school, and the bathrooms were brought up to ADA compliance. Dobler added that the Guidance Department office was redone, as well as the school's nurse's office. Electrical service into the school building was upgraded, and the process has begun to put in a new PA system throughout the school.

The Hampton Road entrance to the elementary school was redone over the Summer as well.

"It was an awful lot of work," Dobler quipped.

With all this work done at the elementary and middle schools, Dobler noted the high school has not been left out, as major renovations are also planned for this school, which is located on Narrow Lane. In January, new windows and doors will be put in, with the larger part of the work to begin next summer.

According to Dobler, the entire cost of these renovations was approximately $53 million for all three schools, which was paid for by bond. The elementary school, he said received the most of the funding, with $14 million for renovations.